British Open – Bob Geismar

100 years ago today changed the face of golf in America.

No exaggeration, exactly 100 years ago today, September 20, 1913, Francis Ouimet won the U.S. Open and it changed the face of golf in this country.

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He was a man of the people, a commoner, a young man 20 years old in fact with a 10 year old caddy. It was not improbable, it was impossible, but it happened. The story is so compelling that it was front page news, not just sports page news the next day. It got Americans of all economic backgrounds to take up golf.

Ouimet lived across the street from The Country Club in Brookline, Mass. He was not allowed to play the course – he was a caddy. He qualified for the event and then needed a caddy. Francis asked a friend to caddy, but he opted out at the last moment and the friend’s 10 year old brother volunteered to caddy. The rest is magical history.

Eddie Lowery was the 10 year old, Francis Ouimet was the 20 year old and together they defeated the two most prominent golfers in the world in an 18 hole playoff. Ouimet defeated Legendary Englishman Harry Vardon who today still holds the record for winning the most British Opens at 6 and had won the 1900 U. S. Open. Ouimet also conquered Vardon’s fellow countryman, Ted Ray, who also was a British Open champion and would go on to win the U.S. Open in 1920. Ouimet beat Vardon by 5 and Ray by 6 strokes in the playoff.

This event, in golf history, remains to this day by most golf historians as the single most important for the proliferation of the game inAmerica. Golf went from an elitist sport to one open to everyone virtually overnight. Francis Ouimet and Eddie Lowery connected to golf history forever remembered today and as long as golf is played in America.

Bobby Jones – #3 in Bob’s top 10 golfers of all time

3. Bobby Jones

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The single most dominant player of his time and he never turned professional.

He won the grand slam in 1930—at that time the 4 majors were the British Amateur and Open and the U.S. Amateur and Open.

Upon that amazing feat, he promptly retired from active competition at the ripe old age of 28.

He had a dynamic powerful swing and backed it up with an equally adept touch.

Jones co-founded the Augusta National Golf Club and The Masters Tournament.

Did you miss the rest of the top 10 so far? Here they are: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5 and 4.

Any guesses for #2 and #1?

Ben Hogan holds #4 on Bob’s top 10 countdown

4. Ben Hogan

Ben Hogan, 9-time Major Champion – is included as one of only 5 men who have won golf’s grand slam. Of course he’s in the top ten of all time, especially considering he overcame a near-fatal car crash to come back even more prolific. When other golfers stop hitting balls on the range to come over to watch you hit balls – you are revered – and Ben Hogan is tops in that category.

Did you miss the rest of the top 10 so far? Here they are: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5.

Any guesses on who #3, #2 and #1 are?

It was Phil’s day, and quietly, Woody’s day, too.

What a day of golf Sunday July 21, 2013. It will be remembered for the almost Herculean performance from Phil Mickelson finally winning the British Open a championship.

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In his own words, he never fully believed he could win. Phil’s brilliant shot making and superb putting overcame a 5 shot deficit at the outset of the final round to overtake Masters Champ Adam Scott and third round leader Lee Westwood. For Westwood, it was another bitter ending to a major—this makes a career record for the Englishman of 0-62 in the majors—he contends and falters-I do hope one day he breaks through and finally wins one—he in simply too good of a ball striker to end a career winless in majors—maybe next month at Oak Hill.

As for Scott, he failed last year, and again, this year, at The Open. He does have the Masters on his resume, but losing majors when you have the lead is always a bitter pill to swallow. As for Mickelson, only one major eludes him the U.S. Open—a tournament he has come in second a record 6 times. Pinehurst next year could be the time to conquer golf’s grand slam.

You may recall what we mentioned in last week’s blog that it would take a player who had already been in the major winners circle to win at Muirfield and it did—as Phil pointed out, it was probably the best pure round of golf he had ever played! To watch him share the moment with his family, well, that is why Phil is so endeared to the public—he is American golf’s man of the people. Congrats to Philly!

On a steamy day inMississippi,a veteran of nearly 20 years on tour, Woody Austin, regainedPGATour status with a dramatic win at the Sanderson’s Farm Championship in a 3-way playoff with Cameron Beckman and Daniel Summerhays. Austin, who is 49 had only Web.com status and without this win, he would be back on the minor league tour, instead he is headed to the Canadian Open, ThePGAnext month and the tournament of champions next January plus a two year fully exempt status on thePGATour. An emotionalAustin, not unlike Mickelson, has no problem showing his emotions to us all—we can relate to Woody who, in his quest to get on the tour, was a public school teacher and a bank teller-well now he can visit the teller with his $540,000 first place check. So happy for you, too, Woody, on this mid summer victory!

What a journey, what a victory for two men one who wasn’t sure he could win a certain major and the other who wasn’t sure he could win again—period. It is a great day in golf. July 21^st, 2013.

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Arnold Palmer created an American Invasion as #7 in Bob’s top 10 golfers of all time

7. Arnold Palmer

The winner of 7 major championships and a total of 62 PGA Tour events Palmer made golf fashionable to play and watch on television. He came along when TV and golf were not yet united as they are today. His charisma and charm made him a universally loved player—simply stated everyone adored Arnold Palmer. He transcended generations and was America’s golfing hero. In addition he revitalized the British Open as Americans had virtually stopped going over to the event but Palmer created an American invasion starting in 1960 that continues today.

Bob’s top 10 golfers – #9

9. Harry Vardon

Harry Vardon, the famous Englishman who won 6 British Opens, a record that still stands today, holds place number 9 in Bob’s top 10 golfers of all time. He also added a U.S. Open to his resume in 1900, and later finished runner-up twice in the U.S. Open. Vardon won 62 tournaments in his illustrious career including a record 14 in a row—another of his records that still stands today. He created the overlapping grip—notably called “The Vardon Grip.” He was also one of the first golfers to author golf books to help the average golfer improve and enjoy the sport. He was one of the game’s first true ambassadors as he came to America, touring the nation, giving over 80 exhibitions in his effort to proliferate the game.